New bye-laws for Hastings' parks and gardens agreed

On Wednesday (September 21), Hastings Borough Council voted to adopt a new set of bye-laws, which will govern what is and isn’t allowed in the town’s public parks and gardens.

While mostly a technical update to the previous set of bye-laws, an element of the changes had proven controversial with campaigners who oppose plans to create a new cycle path running through Alexandra Park.

This is because the new bye-laws would allow cyclists to ride on ‘designated routes’ in places where cycling would otherwise be prohibited, while the previous bye-laws often banned it outright.

Introducing the item, Cllr Julia Hilton, cabinet member for climate change and natural environment, confirmed that there would be both a full council debate on the Alexandra Park plans as well as any other future controversial cycle routes.

She said: “[The new set of bye-laws] makes clear that no cycling is allowed in any of our parks except on a designated cycle route and the process of designating a cycle route was clarified by the leader of the council at the last cabinet meeting.

“He made clear the process of designating any cycle route will be subject to a report to cabinet and if controversial any designation will be subject to a full council decision.

“This will be the case with the proposed cycle path through Alexandra Park. An updated report will be brought to cabinet as soon as possible, then to the following full council.”

Margi O’Callahan argued the controversy had stemmed from a miscommunication with residents. She said: “I think what we’ve learnt from this is that we need to do things better. We need to be a little bit more communicative and it needs to be presented to the public better."

But others had concerns including Conservative councillor Sorrel Marlow-Eastwood, who said: “Separate vote or not, this is the mechanism that changes the law which will allow cycle paths to be put through any of our parks, whether or not it has to go to be designated and go to a vote."

Despite disagreement, the new bye-laws were ultimately passed on a majority vote.